]]>As a Communications Consultant, you will help Fidelity’s clients deliver critical information to their employees, retirees and other participants by developing and delivering best-in-class communication materials through a variety of channels. This includes producing high-quality, cost-effective communications solutions for distribution to plan participants.

You will work with approximately 6-8 clients, depending on the assets and complexity of the client. Your efforts will generate revenue for Fidelity by offering cost effective, digital solutions that engage participants. You will partner internally with key stakeholders like marketing, product, legal and production to meet client needs. You will partner externally with key stakeholders like plan sponsors, consultants, participants and Fidelity’s vendors.

Company Overview

At Fidelity, we are focused on making our financial expertise broadly accessible and effective in helping people live the lives they want. We are a privately held company that places a high degree of value in creating and nurturing a work environment that attracts the best talent and reflects our commitment to our associates.

]]>https://sf.iabc.com/communications-consultant-fidelity-investments/feed/07 Ways to Create an Engaged Workforcehttps://sf.iabc.com/7-ways-to-create-an-engaged-workforce/
https://sf.iabc.com/7-ways-to-create-an-engaged-workforce/#respondTue, 12 Feb 2019 20:10:01 +0000https://sf.iabc.com/?p=9779What we learned at the ALI Strategic Internal Communications Conference SF IABC recently partnered with the Advanced Learning Institute (ALI) for the 6th Annual Strategic Internal Communications – West Conference in San Francisco. We were also able to attend and here are some of the new and upcoming things we learned: 1. Customization is key […]

What we learned at the ALI Strategic Internal Communications Conference

SF IABC recently partnered with the Advanced Learning Institute (ALI) for the 6th Annual Strategic Internal Communications – West Conference in San Francisco. We were also able to attend and here are some of the new and upcoming things we learned:

1. Customization is key

Between seeing demos from a variety of vendors to what we heard from presenters from Salesforce and McDonalds to local tech companies, health care systems and oil & gas, one’s thing’s clear: employee communication is more likely to cut through the noise if it’s customized and curated for specific audiences. Thanks to vendors like Banana Tag, Circle and Poppulo – to name a few – this is easier than ever to do.

2. Use what works for you

Amazon literally posts a newsletter called “Installments” in bathroom stalls at its operations facilities. A communications strategist at Marathon Petroleum Company captures his editorial calendar in a Word document, which is enough to ensure the most current and relevant content is dropped into weekly newsletters. The communications manager at Johnson Controls produces webcasts in-house and refines the process every time. You don’t have to have a big budget or sophisticated technology to reach your audience. We heard so many examples of how innovation, creativity and clarity of outcomes is the secret formula for effective communications.

3. Review and consolidate content

Employees are receiving information from many different points – internal and external – and all of this information can feel overwhelming. Conducting an audit of communications pieces to determine where communicators can “cut, consolidate and coordinate” can help to prioritize what’s important for employees, and where professionals can focus.

4. Know your audience

During an interactive workshop we learned that creating personas, as is often done in marketing, can help determine how to position employee communications. This approach was familiar to conference participants, but many had not tried it. The exercise gives communicators a different way to consider how to compose messages, identify channels and remain focused on what the employee needs to know. Personas capture the individual’s age, job, likes/dislikes, information to help do his or her job, and other features. It was an interesting session that could have real value if fully developed in the workplace.

5. Make it short and attractive

Internal communicators are now experimenting with subject lines, making use of clickbait, and have seen employees open emails more often. It is also good to have snack-sized consumable content on intranets or through company apps where employees can spend two minutes to read, versus not reading anything at all.

6. Have a strategy in place

We heard a lot of presenters talk about the importance of strategy, without which our communications could very well turn into noise. Salesforce’s strategy includes a formula, Culture + Technology + Data = Engagement. Culture creates a sense of purpose and belonging, technology closes the gap between experience at work and in life and data allows more personalized and productive infomation.

Having a well-thought-out approach and understanding of what makes employees tick is key. It is about being able to communicate what your audience needs to know, with purpose and intention.

7. Look at the power of digital

We all love our mobile phones and are increasingly using digital channels in our day-to-day social lives. At this conference, companies are now talking about bringing that into the workplace – whether it be through a digital assistant to orchestrate all the complexity of internal technology as created by Liberty Insurance, or an employee-only mobile app created by the American Cancer Society. Some companies like Amazon use Instagram to meet employees where they are, implementing social media to change how they deliver content and constantly evolving the channels to communicate. Digital is where it’s at.

What are some of your thoughts on creating a more engaged workforce? Let us know.

SF IABC looks forward to supporting future ALI Conferences in the Bay Area and offering our members special discounts. For more info, visit https://www.aliconferences.com/.

]]>https://sf.iabc.com/7-ways-to-create-an-engaged-workforce/feed/0Manager, Communications: Constellation Brandshttps://sf.iabc.com/manager-communications-constellation-brands/
https://sf.iabc.com/manager-communications-constellation-brands/#respondTue, 12 Feb 2019 19:10:13 +0000https://sf.iabc.com/?p=9776The Constellation Brands, Inc. (CBI) Communications team is responsible for supporting the Company’s vision and business strategy through the Wine & Spirits division by telling a focused and powerful story that enhances the company’s image, and that of its brands, through media, trade, influencers and employees. As a strategic business partner, the Wine & Spirits […]

]]>The Constellation Brands, Inc. (CBI) Communications team is responsible for supporting the Company’s vision and business strategy through the Wine & Spirits division by telling a focused and powerful story that enhances the company’s image, and that of its brands, through media, trade, influencers and employees.

As a strategic business partner, the Wine & Spirits Communications team is responsible for developing and executing strategic communication programs that support the top business objectives for the division’s marketing, sales, operations and international groups. The Manager will be directly responsible for providing support to division teams, facilitating select business/trade media relations and internal/local communications programs for the Wine & Spirits division.

KEY RESPONSIBLITIES:

Development, planning and execution of Employee Communications strategy to increase visibility and adoption of business strategy, vision, mission + values and improve employee engagement and alignment

Execute against Annual Employee Comms strategy:

Ensure company message is delivered with one voice across platforms and people/speakers

]]>https://sf.iabc.com/manager-communications-constellation-brands/feed/0Read On: Motivating Reads for the New Yearhttps://sf.iabc.com/read-on-motivating-reads-for-the-new-year/
https://sf.iabc.com/read-on-motivating-reads-for-the-new-year/#respondMon, 04 Feb 2019 19:12:20 +0000https://sf.iabc.com/?p=9757As a freelance writer, my business can really slow down in December, understandable since most of my clients have closed out the books on marketing for the year. And while new year planning is underway, the weeks before and after Christmas are still a bit early for those late January emails that start, “I’m wondering […]

]]>As a freelance writer, my business can really slow down in December, understandable since most of my clients have closed out the books on marketing for the year. And while new year planning is underway, the weeks before and after Christmas are still a bit early for those late January emails that start, “I’m wondering about your availability….”

But I still need to keep my instrument sharp. And one of the best ways to do that is to read.

So, a few years back I decided that instead of lamenting the slowdown, I’d use the time to catch up on my reading. And rather than rely on my usual haunts for finding good books — Copperfields, the NYT Book Review, Brain Pickings — I decided to send out an email to a list of random friends and colleagues and ask what they read and liked that year. Four years running, that email has returned a very eclectic mix of titles, and I often read books that wouldn’t occur to me to pick up.

So, in the spirit of the new year, here’s a list of books that have really helped me with goal setting and getting my priorities straight in years past. Hopefully you’ll find something on this list of nonfiction books you haven’t read yet (some are older releases). In any case, I hope at least one of these books sticks well enough to your literary ribs that you’ll find yourself asking a friend or colleague, “Have you read—?”

This book has been out for a few years, so I won’t be too surprised if a lot of readers are familiar with it, but for those who aren’t, I highly recommend it.

In a world where distraction is the rule not the exception (your phone just pinged, didn’t it?) Cal Newport argues that more than ever before, the complex nature of our lives and work projects requires that we find the time to be quiet and think. Newport, a computer science professor at MIT who has produced volumes but is still in his 30s, points out the disturbing irony that while technology has streamlined areas of our lives, it’s also opened the floodgates for endless distractions. The way Newport sees things, we all have bigger, hairier, more complex problems to tackle than ever before but no time to think deeply about solutions.

And that’s not good. Not personally or professionally. But what to do?

If you’re trying to get a project completed Newport suggests you set aside scheduled periods of time for intense focus. If you make a habit of taking the time, you literally change the wiring in your brain by building up your tolerance for ignoring the noise of daily life. So, close the office door, put the phone on silent, get rid of social media (or at least check it only once a day) and just basically stop responding for some period of time while you work and think. It can be as short as 15 minutes to start or as long as a few hours. The important thing is to rewire your habit of distraction to one of focus. It won’t happen overnight, but the results will be evident in the quality of the work you produce and the relationships in your life. Think about it the next time you check Facebook. And then ask yourself if Mr. Zuckerberg is interested in you.

This is another book that’s not a new release but one I think merits mention. I love books that include wide-ranging references to all sorts of brilliant men and women from many disciplines across history.

Ryan Holiday offers glimpses of a wide variety of titans and geniuses from Marcus Aurelius to Amelia Earhart and Steve Jobs to illustrate how the most painful obstacles and spirit-crushing stumbling blocks we encounter can be our greatest teachers. Its perspective is we need to see past the moment we’re suffering through and have faith that this too shall pass. And while the pain and grief of loss are real and have to be experienced, even the most shattering events have the power to transform us into stronger, more resilient, more capable and grateful humans.

This is the kind of book that inspires me to say, even when my ego’s bruised or my heart’s a little bit cracked, “No problem. I got this.”

I’m not usually a fan of this sort of rah, rah book (the kind that tells us that we can’t do everything, but we can do one or two things really well), mostly because that never seems realistic. Most people I know have a million different tasks to complete in the course of a day and, let’s face it, not everything we touch gets our one hundred percent undivided attention.

But I did like this book because it reinforces the concept of deep work and, more important, as a writer, I’ve always had to embrace the idea of the compound effect — one sentence at a time, one paragraph at a time, one page at a time — if I was ever going to finish anything.

Honestly, all Darren Hardy is really saying is that if you want to become expert at something, “Finish what you start.” And if you can, focus on what you’re doing long enough and hard enough to do a good job (again, Deep Work!). But here’s the thing about becoming an expert at anything. If the one (project or report or book) you just completed isn’t as good as what you imagined, start again. And finish again. And keep that up for your entire life until you become more than proficient, more than expert but an aficionada. Because you will learn from every day that you put in and you will get better and better over time. That’s the compound effect. And it works.

When Dorothy Gilliam arrived in the Washington Post’s white, male-dominated newsroom in 1961, she knew she was in for a struggle. Fresh out of Columbia’s journalism school, her fight to gain respect at the paper would mirror the Civil Rights Movement that was well underway even while the family-owned paper still in no way represented the trials and tribulations of Washington DC’s large African American population.

Gilliam tells story after story of how she was marginalized, ignored and generally treated poorly. The inspiration is in how her treatment solidified her determination to add to the paper’s reporting focus the lives and contributions of African Americans. Gilliam’s beautifully written story is an excellent example of how the cream always rises but not before hard work and persistence pave the way.

Trailblazer reminds us it wasn’t that long ago that we were still a nation struggling with solidly entrenched, pervasive and often accepted racism, and so rather than congratulate ourselves for how far we’ve come, remembering where we were not so long ago should keep us ever vigilant.

I loved this book not just because I have great respect for Shonda Rhimes’s work — I’m a sucker for a good drama/thriller series — but because she’s a woman of color who has made it in a business that is insanely tough for even the most talented and connected (which she was not) to succeed. For me that’s the definition of inspiring.

But I also loved this book because it proves that even when it looks like someone “has it all” — the success, the fame, the money, the deep respect of his or her peers — that person can still feel overworked, overwhelmed, burned out and not sure of her own worth. Shonda Rhimes had four major television shows on the air at once and was working 15 hours a day pretty much seven days a week when she finally stopped and decided enough was enough. She made a promise to herself to say “YES” to things that frightened her and, more broadly, to many things — like stopping at the front door on the way out to work when her youngest child asked her to take a moment and play.

Rhymes is talking about the same thing as Cal Newport — the idea that we need to stop, turn things off and be present. Like Newport, Shonda Rhimes doesn’t think this is easy —quite the contrary. But she does think it’s profoundly important and deeply restorative. All good things to consider for the new year.

I heard about this book through a gifted graphic designer whom I’d worked with on a project. Author Shawn Achor is a respected speaker and self-styled happiness expert who believes that if we can get there, being happy is actually a competitive advantage in both work and life. Achor believes that one way to get to happy is to surround ourselves with three types of people who will offer support on our happiness quest:

Pillars – The people we can count on who we tend to consistently turn to for support and advice. These people know our situations and have our best interests at heart. They don’t like to see us in pain and yet they’re not willing to tell us something we “want” to hear just to alleviate that pain.

Bridges – These are the people who connect us to people and experiences outside of our group or comfort zone — the ones that give us new color, enrich us, give us a new perspective.

Extenders – People who push us to try something new or think differently about a subject we think we know everything about. These are people we trust, so when they push us to take another look, we feel confident they see something we don’t and so taking the leap isn’t quite as intimidating.

If asked, the vast majority of people would not answer, “my happiness” when asked what they most needed to achieve in the new year. It would sound selfish to the ear and frivolous to a mind cluttered with so many other seemingly important tasks and responsibilities.

But Achor has included reams of research to back up his claims that securing our own happiness is actually something legitimately worth working on. He believes that our big potential is infinitely more possible when we reach out and create communities filled with people we support and who support us. That’s how we become happier, more successful and more productive.

I’m a big fan of Brene, have read her other two books and revisit her famous TED talk whenever I need to brush up on my “I’m ok” attitude. Her website describes the book as “… learning and practice that requires brave work, tough conversations, and showing up with our whole hearts.” Easier said than done but something we all give our best shot to pulling off every day.

Brene believes in the power of the tough conversations (as does Shonda Rhimes) that we tend to avoid. This is a theme I think is not only important in any work environment or family, but one that as Americans we seem to find ourselves bathed in daily. Maybe your tough conversation this year will be about how you need more quiet time and fewer interruptions from your boss on the weekends? Or maybe that your government representative needs to step up more or compromise less. Brent is a very strong resource for anyone who is living a complex life (as we all are) and trying to get at least most of it right.

The War of Art is one of my all-time favorite books and the one I always suggest when people tell me they’re feeling stuck — no matter how or in what area of their lives.

Steven Pressfield, a writer who brought us the delightful movie, The Legend of Bagger Vance (and many other books and film scripts), speaks eloquently and with great compassion about the war that rages within every artist over the compulsion to create but the fear that what we create will be irrelevant.

But this book isn’t just for artists. Pressfield speaks to entrepreneurs, athletes and anyone who has a dream that burns within. As Pressfield sees it, since we’re all creators in one way or another and since we all find ourselves locked in pitched battles of resistance around creating, whether it’s a novel or a report for work, we can all learn from this important discussion about how to move past that resistance.

If you’re still struggling with resistance, you can also read Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott and Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Life and Love from Dear Sugar by Cheryl Strayed. These are books that touch the soul, too.

If you’ve read and liked — or not — any of the books on this list, I’d love to hear from you. And don’t hesitate to send along a recommendation. I’ll pass it on the next time someone asks, “Read any good books lately?”

Maggie Harrymanis a freelance copywriter who specializes in long-form writing, including case studies, white papers, website content and ebooks for the real estate, finance, technology, medical device and wine industries. She lives in Sonoma County and works throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.

]]>https://sf.iabc.com/read-on-motivating-reads-for-the-new-year/feed/04 Fun High-Tech and Low-Tech Ways to Engage Employeeshttps://sf.iabc.com/4-fun-high-tech-and-low-tech-ways-to-engage-employees/
https://sf.iabc.com/4-fun-high-tech-and-low-tech-ways-to-engage-employees/#respondMon, 19 Nov 2018 16:02:25 +0000https://sf.iabc.com/?p=9628Ever wish you were a fly on the wall, listening in while top HR and internal communications pros share their best practices? That’s exactly what happens when you attend an event like the Advanced Learning Institute’s recent conference in San Francisco, “Aligning HR & Internal Communications to Boost the Employee Experience.” About 50 HR and […]

Give your C-Suite leaders opportunities to reveal more of themselves in fun, unscripted ways. Shoot “90 Seconds with Your Leader’s Name” videos. Ask your leader fun questions at the beginning and end and squeeze a little strategy talk in the middle. Questions could range from “What superpower would you want?” to “What was your favorite subject in school?” Or even: “Toilet paper: over or under?” Or create a fun video with leaders answering “Mean Tweets” à la Jimmy Kimmel.

Limit employee communications to about 300 words and use the “short burst” approach. Research shows that consumer and employee habits are merging. For internal communicators, this means we have about three seconds to attract employees with a headline, and five seconds to create connection and buy-in to the message. Spread key messages across multiple channels in snackable format, or short bursts, to get critical information into their hands.

Experiment with novelty. Now that the whole world’s shifted to online communications, rumor has it that good ol’ fashioned print materials (gasp!) are making a comeback. Try mailing out a promotion that’s much bigger or smaller than expected or with an unusual shape like a star, heart or some shape that’s relevant to your business. Think posters (or digital signage if your company refuses to print) in the office but with some “wow” factor, using humor, bright colors, attention-getting images and wordplay. Bottom line: Your people will sit up and take notice if you offer them something completely different that blows their minds.

Suki Baz and Julie Knight are board members of the San Francisco Chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC). Suki is internal communications manager, National Park Service. Julie Knight is owner of the communications consultancy, Mission: Possible.

]]>Curious about the emerging practices that organizations like Salesforce and Northwestern Medicine are leveraging to transform employee engagement? Then you can’t afford to miss the 6th Annual Strategic Internal Communications conference presented by Advanced Learning Institute (ALI). SF IABC members can enter the code IABCSF for significant savings on registration!

SF IABC is delighted to link arms with our thought partners from Advanced Learning Institute (ALI) to extend a special member-only offer for their upcoming 6th Annual Strategic Internal Communications conference that will be held January 29 – 31, 2019 in San Francisco. IABC members who register for the conference with the code IABCSF will enjoy a $200 discount. If your career goals include expanding your network, learning about innovative tools and breakthrough strategies to help drive culture change, in tandem with fortifying your personal brand, then the ALI conference experience offers a timely opportunity to maximize your investment in IABC’s professional development resources. What’s more — several SF IABC members have confirmed that the exciting mix of general sessions, interactive workshops with case studies and purposeful networking sessions deliver great value while also aligning with our global industry standard.

The ALI Experience

ALI conference organizers are committed to providing attendees with a uniquely intimate professional development experience. Preston Lewis, founder and CEO of Intactic, a modern communications company focused on creating more human-centric experiences for people at work, praises the myriad benefits of uniting industry thought leaders and practitioners in a highly collaborative environment.

“This conference represents the essence of co-creation,” notes Lewis, who served as a past president of SF IABC. “Together, we are resetting expectations for internal communications, and rethinking the employer/employee contract to deliver an unforgettable brand experience.”

Insights and High-Impact Interactions Abound at ALI: IABC Members Weigh In

SF IABC board member Jeff Rader has a profound appreciation for the robust exchange of ideas that he experienced during his inaugural ALI conference experience earlier this year.

“All of the general session speakers shared some very interesting approaches for transforming employee communications, and we also heard fascinating content about re-imagining storytelling as a platform for allowing others to come up with conclusions,” says Rader, who serves as a corporate communications strategist for Bay Area clients.

Throughout the two-day event, Rader connected with peers socially and for several immersive use-case sessions — both of which are signature elements of the ALI conference experience.

“I so enjoyed the chance to gain practical tips on how my peers are taking their internal communications and change management strategies to the next level with wide and varied technology platforms, from podcasting to Social Chorus,” Rader explains.

Kamna Narain, internal communications advisor and coach, supported the 2018 ALI Strategic Internal Communications conference as both an attendee and presenter. Her session on diversity and inclusion advanced the discussion on breaking down siloes and increasing two-way communications.

“As an internal communications consultant, I need to stay on top of trends and technology for my clients,” notes Narain, a past president of SF IABC. “What I loved about the ALI conference was hearing stories and examples from other internal communications professionals that either validated what I was doing with my clients, or triggered new ideas! For example, I can think of about half a dozen speakers, including companies like Petco and Kimpton Hotels, who talked about how they were using Yammer. I happened to be working on a Yammer strategy for a client and was able to incorporate what I learned when I went back to work the very next day!”

Ayanna N.S. Anderson is a community engagement and strategic communications leader with more than 20 years of experience in increasing brand visibility and maximizing alliances on behalf of her nonprofit, corporate and public sector clients. An IABC SF board member since 2017, Ayanna is a champion for storytelling as a catalyst for social change. Connect with Ayanna on LinkedIn.

]]>https://sf.iabc.com/learn-fresh-strategies-to-transform-employee-engagement-and-drive-culture-change/feed/0Getting the Word Out: Is Texting Up to the Job in a Disaster?https://sf.iabc.com/getting-the-word-out-is-texting-up-to-the-job-in-a-disaster/
https://sf.iabc.com/getting-the-word-out-is-texting-up-to-the-job-in-a-disaster/#respondFri, 02 Nov 2018 23:40:00 +0000https://sf.iabc.com/?p=9591With 560 billion texts sent worldwide in 2017, texting as a preferred means of communication is inextricably woven into the patchwork of connections that mark our daily lives. Business has embraced texting thanks to impressive open rates that find 90% of recipients read a text within three minutes. Texts have also become an important part […]

]]>With 560 billion texts sent worldwide in 2017, texting as a preferred means of communication is inextricably woven into the patchwork of connections that mark our daily lives. Business has embraced texting thanks to impressive open rates that find 90% of recipients read a text within three minutes. Texts have also become an important part of a broad security apparatus. Banks use texts to authenticate customers, and anonymous texting platforms are used in schools to call out potentially dangerous behaviors. In healthcare, a text arrives when your prescription is ready and when your appointment is pending, a convenience that’s saving providers millions and ensuring that patients don’t forget to see the doctor.

But the effectiveness of texting in an emergency is only as good as the human-centered systems and equipment that support it.

Text Alerts for Emergencies in Local Communities

That’s what victims of the 2017 Northern California Firestorm discovered when emergency responders chose not to employ the WEA system that was already in place, believing it would confuse citizens who were not in harm’s way and cause unnecessary panic that might clog roadways and hamper escape. As a result, fire victims were forced to rely on calls to 911 (before phone lines burned down) and on neighbors banging on doors in the night.

A procedural post mortem revealed that Sonoma County’s WEA system had been tested and tweaked before the fires to address issues surrounding scattershot messaging and might have been an effective warning when other systems failed. In fact, just two months later, Southern California employed the WEA system when wildfires broke out there. Unwilling to allow the perfect to be the enemy of the good, the alert was considered a success and the catastrophic event resulted in no fatalities.

Just last month in Donggala, on the Island of Sulawesi in Indonesia, a devastating earthquake and accompanying tsunami caught residents of the Palu Bay community completely by surprise. In a devastating domino of mishaps, the initial earthquake destroyed the cell phone towers that would have sent the tsunami text alert in seconds, a system of buoys that should have sent signals about changes in wave patterns has been non-operational since 2012 and sirens along the coast that might have given warning (used currently in Oregon and Washington) simply don’t exist. The death toll has risen to over 1,200 victims.

Last year’s fires in Northern California and the tragic events in Indonesia last month are sobering reminders that employing text alerts or any mass communication response in a major emergency can be effective but is in no way the final answer for ensuring safety. Delivery cannot always be expected to withstand a 7.5 earthquake as in the case of Sulawesi, or emergency respondents may be desperate to make impossible decisions in seconds as in the case of the NorCal Firestorm.

My friend who lost her home in Santa Rosa’s Coffey Park section has told me—sometimes through tears, but more often with a smile now that she has found a new home—that she still feels very lucky. If it hadn’t been for her neighbor who employed a primitive but effective method of fist pounding on doors even as the fire had already engulfed many of the surrounding homes, she wouldn’t have made it out alive.

That was true of many of the residents in Coffey Park, a tight-knit community where folks had owned homes, raised children and looked out for one another for a generation. She ran from her home of 25 years in pajamas and flipflops and lost absolutely everything. When she returned weeks later, even tulip bulbs in the ground waiting for spring had been incinerated.

We were together when the presidential alert dinged on her phone a few weeks back. She laughed and said in her heavy Czech accent, “My neighbor’s fist was my wireless emergency alert.” As life-saving technologies evolve, communication the old-fashioned way may still be our most reliable chance at safety.

Maggie Harryman is a freelance copywriter who specializes in long-form writing, including case studies, white papers, website content and ebooks for the real estate, finance, technology, medical device and wine industries. She lives in Sonoma County and works throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.

]]>https://sf.iabc.com/getting-the-word-out-is-texting-up-to-the-job-in-a-disaster/feed/0ICR Connect Provides Value for Solopreneurshttps://sf.iabc.com/icr-connect-provides-value-for-solopreneurs-2/
https://sf.iabc.com/icr-connect-provides-value-for-solopreneurs-2/#respondThu, 01 Nov 2018 01:14:04 +0000https://sf.iabc.com/?p=9578In 2017, the National Bureau of Economic Research concluded that over 16% of U.S. workers were participating in the gig economy, an increase of 56% in the past 10 years. Those numbers reflect the rise in technologies that gave birth to the likes of Uber and Grubhub but are hardly news to the legions of […]

]]>In 2017, the National Bureau of Economic Research concluded that over 16% of U.S. workers were participating in the gig economy, an increase of 56% in the past 10 years. Those numbers reflect the rise in technologies that gave birth to the likes of Uber and Grubhub but are hardly news to the legions of professional communications consultants who have been actively engaged in contract work for most of their careers.

Those professionals have found connection and comradery in SF IABC’s Independent Communicators’ Roundtable (ICR) and a valuable asset in ICR Connect, the quarterly meeting limited to eight consultants and freelancers who gather to discuss the challenges and opportunities of working solo in the Bay Area.

Moderated by Natasha Terk, the most recent ICR Connect on October 18 hosted five professionals who gathered for two hours at one of Oakland’s newest co-working spaces, Oakstop. Natasha artfully kept the meeting moving forward from initial introductions to Leads & Needs, Show & Tell, and a Run Your Business Clinic where participants brainstormed ways to address each other’s personal business challenges.

I drove down from Sonoma County and felt it was two of the best hours I’d spent furthering my business in a long time. Natasha will continue moderating the meetings for the foreseeable future and, as a solopreneur herself, had this to say about the value of ICR Connect: “We face a lot of the same — or similar — challenges, so when participants described their obstacle in front of others who have faced it before, they got a lot of support and actionable suggestions. That’s how we move past fear and act on our goals!”

I highly recommend the Independent Communicators’ Roundtable as a way to meet engaged, thriving, independent consultants who understand the rewards and challenges of going solo. For more information on the Independent Communicators’ Roundtable, here’s a thoughtful overview. For more information on the date and location of the next ICR Connect meeting. contact Natasha Terk at natashaterk@writeitwell.com.

Maggie Harryman is a freelance copywriter who specializes in long-form writing, including case studies, white papers, website content and ebooks for the real estate, finance, technology, medical devices and wine industries. She lives in Sonoma County and works throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.

]]>https://sf.iabc.com/icr-connect-provides-value-for-solopreneurs-2/feed/0SF IABC: My Special Skills Labhttps://sf.iabc.com/sf-iabc-my-special-skills-lab/
https://sf.iabc.com/sf-iabc-my-special-skills-lab/#respondMon, 29 Oct 2018 02:01:22 +0000https://sf.iabc.com/?p=9560I was just a few years out of grad school when I realized that I was stuck. I had only a few years under my belt and noticed that I wasn’t growing. In fact, I was just settling in — and it was startling. For the first time in my life, my immediate environment wasn’t […]

]]>I was just a few years out of grad school when I realized that I was stuck. I had only a few years under my belt and noticed that I wasn’t growing. In fact, I was just settling in — and it was startling. For the first time in my life, my immediate environment wasn’t just handing out interesting opportunities. (WHAT?) Oh well, never one to sit back and wait for inspiration, I went hunting for it.

I didn’t really know what I wanted or where to start, so I did what I knew how to do best: research. I read about the science of social connections online and became interested in seeing first hand how businesses were leveraging it. And then there it was, a small offer that simply read: Looking for you to manage our FaceBook account. Two phone calls later, I secured my first volunteer position with the San Francisco Chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators, and shortly after joined the association as a full-fledged member.

The Facebook volunteer position grew into a director role overlooking the full social media strategy, which then parlayed into co-VP of communications. I was learning strategy, messaging, timing, audience analysis, event planning, the science of humans in our social world; I absolutely loved it. The more my skills and confidence grew, the richer my conversations with people became, and my career prospects enlivened. I started opening doors and found exciting new possibilities.

Eyeing leadership positions, I took a volunteer position as Finance Director for the Pacific Plains Region to learn some business skills. PnLs, budgeting, and contract negotiation became my life. I learned what a break-even budget actually was, and how to accurately read a ledger. It broadened my appreciation for the demands and nuances of leadership and prepared me to take on my current role as San Francisco chapter President — a role that has been equal parts rewarding and challenging, with a healthy dose of humility, something we all need.

SF IABC has always served as an amazing skills lab for me. As much as I’ve served our mission, it’s served me in return. And in honor of member month, I invite you to find out how SF IABC can serve you, too. Find out more here: https://sf.iabc.com/member-benefits/

Jennel McDonald is a certified change management leader and business communicator, speaking often on change topics including differences between communications and change management, and resistance — how to recognize it and what to do about it. She mixes together digital marketing, brand management, employee communication, organizational design, and human psychology to develop compelling strategies that build relationships and help companies realize cultural change or affirmation.

]]>https://sf.iabc.com/sf-iabc-my-special-skills-lab/feed/0The Best Cold Call of My Careerhttps://sf.iabc.com/the-best-cold-call-of-my-career/
https://sf.iabc.com/the-best-cold-call-of-my-career/#respondTue, 16 Oct 2018 03:33:50 +0000https://sf.iabc.com/?p=9540After moving from Chicago to the Bay Area in October 2015, I decided to join SF IABC to accelerate my transition into the local market and expand my professional and personal network. I didn’t know a soul and sent an email through the SF IABC website. It was the best cold call of my career! Three […]

]]>After moving from Chicago to the Bay Area in October 2015, I decided to join SF IABC to accelerate my transition into the local market and expand my professional and personal network.

I didn’t know a soul and sent an email through the SF IABC website. It was the best cold call of my career! Three volunteer positions later, (Website Director in 2016, VP of Communications in 2017, and now Executive VP), I’ve met so many incredible minds at SF IABC. There is a lot of rich, diverse experience on the board and I’ve gained several new friends, as well as additional leadership experience to add to my resume.

The leadership experience and domain expertise gained on the board can also really differentiate you in a job search. It certainly was a conversation starter during my interview process with companies here in the Bay Area. The organization has also served as a springboard for new ideas, a safe space where I can try new approaches and technologies, or just brainstorm fun ideas with other communications professionals. I consider the board and the extended membership my very own personal “Communications Cabinet.”

SF IABC is also helping to elevate our function and profession. Whether it’s taking advantage of certifications and trainings through international, or engaging locally in dialogue with members around “fake news” and the truth in storytelling, we play a key role in creating community, addressing current events and giving members opportunities to be seen as thought leaders.

In honor of Member Month, if you’re on the fence about joining, or have been an inactive member, I say this: Taking action is key. Don’t just add your name to the IABC roster — volunteer for something. You’ll get to know people who will experience and respect your work. It could lead to a new job, a new experience or a new friend!